op dayton



Sept. 4, 1928.

1,683,333 R. H. CHILTON SPRING SHACKLE Filed April 50, 1927 F Qwmmto o Patented Sept. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- i RALPH H. CHILTON, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE INLAND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SIPBIN G SHACKLE Application filed April 30, 1927. Serial No. 187,836.

This invention relates to flexible couplings, especially such as are adapted for use as spring shackles on automobiles.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved form of flexible coupling having improved efficiency in operation and longer life.

My. copending application, Serial No. 185,707, filed April 22, 1927, discloses and claims a shackle .somewhat similar to that of the present application, however the pres ent invention provides the following novel features: (1) The transverse flexible web or loop may be formed from the interior layers of the flexible fabric casing; the transthe spring end;.j(el) the outer fiexible casing is composed .of a plurality of layers, the exterior layers being of cord fabric with peripherally extending cords while the interior layers are of woven fabric firmly bonded by vulcanization to the cords of the cord fabric and thus prevent anyseparation or splitting of the cords of the cord fabric.

Another feature of this invention is the method of fixing the molded unit to the spring end whereby the end of the spring leaf is pierced only beyond the point where the shackle load comes upon it.

Further objects and advantages .of the present invention will be apparent from the following description,-reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a I preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates a shackle built according to .this invention mounted on the rear end of the, front spring of an automobile chassis. V The vertical section is taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 3. v

. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the shackle and its'connected parts.

. Fig. 3 is atransverse section taken on line 3-8 of Fig. 2, and shows by dotted lines the direction of certain tension resisting threads in the flexible fabric web. Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in all the views.

Numerals 10 and 11 designate the two relatively movable members connected by the shackle, 10 being the chassis side rail or fitting rigidly secured thereto, and 11 the proecting end of the long leaf of spring 12. The molded unit, designated in its entirety by 15, comprises a flexible cylindrically shaped rubberized fabric casing 16 of :several layers, the outer layers 17 of which are preferably of rubberized cord fabric with the substantially non-extensible cords thereof running in a peripheral direction around the casing. n

The inner layers 18 (two in number as i1- lustrated) are formed as clearly. shown in Fig. 1 so that they form a transverse loop 20 extending across the central portion of casing 10. The molded in situ metal clamping inserts 21 have shanks 22 whichproject outwardly through suitable apertures in layers 17 .and 18, as clearly shown; These inserts 21 preferably havelugs 23 on the lateral ends thereof to more securely clamp casing 16 inpiace and prevent any possibility of the edgesof casing 16 slipping laterally from under the insert. The molded insitu clamping insert 25 is in the form of a U-bolt looped aroundcasing 16 and loop 20 and having its two shanks 2G projecting outwardly.

. In the manufacture of the molded unit 15, the inner layers 18 preferably are first wrapped up from a long strip of the desired rubberized fabric into a form which may only slightly resemble the final form thereof .of the fabric casing." The U bolt insert 25 is also inserted in place from the inside of loop 20 in an obvious manner.

Unvulcanized rubber material in plastic form is then inserted in place to fill the inte. rior spaces 30, 31, and 32, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. This of the elastic rubber when under con'iprwsion. Preferably there are integrally molded upon the above described. unit the relatively stilt rubberized fabric seats 35 and 36 and the wedge-shaped spaces between these seat: and casing 16 are filled with very so ft elastic rubber 37 and 3S molded in place. This molded unit is vulcanized as a whoie in a suitable vulcanizing mold the desired softness orhardness of the rubber in the various portions thereof being obtained by the amount of sulphur an d accelerator in the anvulianizcd compound used in said various portions.

So far in this ClBSCl'lPilltHl, the layers 18 and loop 20 have been described simply as of rubberized fabric material. Preferably layers 18 and loop 20 are wrapped upfrorn a long strip of square woven fabric cut on a bias at such an angle that the main tension resisting threads thereof extend approxilnately as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. Of course in the return bend of loop 20 these same main threads extend diagonally in the opposed direction asshown by the dotted lines d1. Preferably alter-into layers of the layers 1.8 are reversed so that they have the main tension threads therein crossing each other at opposed angles correspoi-iding to the crossing of dotted lines ll) and ll in 3. It is thus seen that the flexible loop 20 will highly resist any relative lateral movement between ineinber 1.0 and the spring end 11 since by such lateral move ment in either direction a wide band of tension resisting threads will be put under direct tension. In other Words, the angularity of the threads 4:0 and i1 greatly increases the strength of these tl'ireads in loop 20 in resisting relative lateral movement between the chassis frame and spring end ll. Also this same angulari-ty of the inai n threads in the layers 18 of casing 16 serves to firmly bind the peripheralcords of the outer layer 17 together so as to avoid splitting apart of the .peripl'ieral cords, especially under relative lateral movement between 10 and 1.1.

The assembling in place of the completed molded unit 15 upon spring leaf 11 and member 10 will now be described. A, il-shaped metal seat member 50 of slightly greater width than unit 15 slipped over the projecting end of leaf 1]. and fixed thereto by one or more preferably two) rivets 51 which pierce leaf 11 adjacent the tip thereof so that the bending strength of leaf 11 will not be reduced by the holes for rivets 51. Unit 15 can nor be fixed in place upon the seat 50 by passing the two shanks 26 of U-bolt 25 through holes and 53 throughthe laterally projecting port-ions of seat 50 (as clearly shown in F and applying the lock wasln ers t and nuts By 'tigl'itening the nuts the lower end ofloop 20, and the lower portion of casing 16 are tirnily clamped down upon the seat 50. Preferably the lower plate 56 of U-shaped seat 50 is cut oil shorter than the upper plate 57 thereof in order to permit the second leaf 3 of spring 12- to extend under plate 57 and so reinforce the long leaf ll.

he two upper shanks 22 are passed through suitably spaced holes 58 in member 10 and the loci; washers 59 and nuts (50 applied thereto. l ly tightening nuts 60 the upper end of loop 20 and the upper portion of casing 16 are lirinly clamped upon member 10. Preferably the holes 58 are so located relative to the spring end ll that the unit 15 will. be substantially in the position shown in Fig. 1 when spring 12 is deflected down ward by the average nori-nal load thereupon. i I i In operation, the flexible casing it; retains the soft elastic rubber therein in. shape to withstand the compression load thereupon, but permits the spring end 11 to move tie-and fro by a rolling distortion of unit upon the stiii fabric sea-ts and 36. tiuch rolling" distortion is not materially resisted by the flexible loop 20 which will swing to and fro with the end 11 and which is slightl extensible in a vertical direction dueto the angula-rity of the threads, as described above. (J-n severe rebounds, the loop 20 will yieldingly take the tension lead on the shackle. However the chief function of loop 20 is to resist relative lateral movement or side sway as described hereinabove and prevent the molded unit 15 f1'oinlyingover on its side.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it to beunderstood that other terms might be adopted, all coming W-i-thi-nthe scope of the claimswhich fellow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An extension shackle connecting two relatively movable ine-n'ibers said shackle comprising: a flexible"rubberized fabric casing vulcanized upon an interior elastic rubber block, means for fixing opposite portions of said casing to said movable members respcctively, and a flexible transverse loop of rubl'ierized fabric extending through said rubber block and secured to said movable members respectively, said rubberized fabric loop being formed from strips of bias cut fabric whereby diagonally extending threads in one web of said loop extend at substantially equal and opposite angles in the other web of said loop.

2. An extension shackle connecting two relatively movable members, said shackle comprising: a flexible rubberized fabric casing vulcanized upon an interior elastic rubber block, means for fixing opposite portions of said casing to said movable members respectively, and a flexible transverse loop of rubberized fabric extending through said rubber block and secured to said movable members respectively, said rubberized fabric ber block, means for fixing opposite portions of said casing to said movable members respectively, and a transverse flexible rubberized fabric Web extending through said rubher block, said web having a plurality of plies of bias cut fabric, some of said plies having. threads extending transversely diagonally in one direction and other of said plies having threads extending transversely diagonally in the opposed direction.

4. An extension shackle connecting two relatively movable members, said shackle comprising: a flexible rubberized fabric casing vulcanized upon an interior elastic rubber block, means for fixing opposite portions of said casing to said movable members respectively, and a transverse rubberized fabric web extending through said rubber block and fixed to said movable members respectively, said web being of bias cut woven fabric having a plurality of threads fixed to the upper movable member on the right side and to the lower movable member on the left side of the vertical center line of a transverse section through said shackle, and a plurality of threads similarly but oppositely fixed to said movable members. a

5. An extension shackle connecting two relatively movable members, said shackle comprising: a flexible fabric casing of several layers vulcanized upon interior elastic rubber material, the inside layer of said casing having a loop therein extending transversely through said elastic rubber, the opposite ends of said loop being fixed to said movable members respectively.

6. An extension shackle connecting two relatively movable members, said shackle comprising: a flexible fabric casing of several layers vulcanized upon interior elastic rubber material, an interior layer of said casing being formed from a bias cut strip of woven fabric and having a loop therein extending transversely through said elastic rubber and fixed at its opposite-ends'to said movable members respectively.

7 An extension shackle connecting two relatively movable members, said shackle comprising: a flexible fabric casing of several layers vulcanized upon interior elastic rubber material, an interior layer of said casing being formed from a bias cut strip of woven fabric and having a loop therein extending transversely through said elastic rubber and fixed at its opposite ends to said movable members respectively, and an exterior layer of said casing being formed from cord fabric having the substantially non-extensible cords thereof extending peripherally of said casing.

8. An extension shackle connecting two relatively movable members, said shackle comprising: a flexible fabric casing of several layers vulcanized upon interior elastic rubber material, andmeans for fixing opposite portions of said casing to said movable members respectively, an interior layer of said casing being formed from Woven fabric and an exterior layer thereof being formed from cord fabric having the substantially non-extensible cords extending peripherally of said casing. I

' 9. An extension shackle connecting two relatively movable members, said shackle comprising: a flexible fabric casing of several layers vulcanized upon interior elastic rubber material, and means for fixing opposite. portions of said casing to said movable members respectively, some of the layers of said 'casing being of cord fabric and having the nonextensible cords thereof extending peripherally of said casing, while at least one of said layers isof bias cut woven fabric whereby to securely bond the peripheral cords together laterally.

signature.

i i RALPH H. CHILTON. 

